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Ali Schwartz
Ali Schwartz
School Choice Wisconsin (SCW) has named Nicholas Kelly to the position of president, effective immediately, said Susan Mitchell, acting president and board chair. Kelly joined SCW in July. He formerly was the principal of St. Thomas More High School, a private school in Milwaukee that participates in Wisconsin’s parental choice programs. As a principal Mr. Kelly took a special interest in making his students feel part of the school community. Under his leadership St. Thomas More implemented a four-year servant leadership program, an after-school mentoring/tutoring program, and a social and emotional wellness program through student services. He took a holistic approach…
Read MoreAround the country we have seen a number of new education policy proposals that empower parents in K-12 education. Even in states that are not traditional sources of educational options, the pandemic has engaged parents in a manner that is garnering strong reactions. Today, here in Wisconsin, we see a new proposal that expands our existing parental choice options. By eliminating a number of remaining barriers, parents would have significantly more control across all sectors of education for all parents. Common Sense Wisconsin released the Power Education Blueprint with an agenda for reforming and enhancing the way families engage with…
Read MoreSchool Choice Wisconsin’s first EANS funding seminar was a roundtable discussion for school staff members to ask questions and share information about EANS stimulus funds. The panel included Lori Saqer of Messmer High School, Brian Frank of St Augustine Preparatory Academy, and Donna Bembenek of Catholic Memorial High School. A complete FAQ from this roundtable can be found on our blog. The EANS funding seminar goes into detail about most of the questions schools have regarding allowable purchases, working with CESA6, supporting learning loss, hiring additional staff, transportation costs, additional summer school classes, and reimbursement deadlines. This seminar gives school administrators the detailed…
Read MoreThe SCW Action Quality Committee hosted a workshop to help explain what schools will need to prepare and what they can expect to happen throughout the school choice financial audit process. In addition to the video of the seminar, you can view the seminar PowerPoint presentation and download the following documents: Internal Control Document Audit Request List Bank Confirmation Template Investment Confirmation Template Note Payable Confirmation Template Contribution and Receivable Confirmation Template Sample School Audit Report Sample School Management Letter Sample School Management Representation Letter Download The Financial Audit Documents ITEM #1 INTERNAL CONTROL DOCUMENT ITEM #2 AUDIT…
Read MoreParticipation in the MPCP Lowers Criminal Convictions for the Most At-Risk The Journal of Private Enterprise recently named “Private School Choice and Character: More Evidence from Milwaukee” as the best academic article of 2021 in their publication. The paper by Patrick J. Wolf, Ph.D., and Corey A. DeAngelis, Ph.D., examined the effects of Milwaukee’s school voucher program on adult criminal activity and paternity suits, using matched student-level data. “The study by Wolf and DeAngelis adds to the growing evidence on the positive impact of Milwaukee’s pioneering choice program,” said Mary McIntosh, School Choice Wisconsin President. She added, “Earlier research shows…
Read MoreLast August, days after some schools had opened and days before most schools were ready to open, the Dane County Health Department issued a school closure order for all schools, public and private serving grades 3-12. School Choice Wisconsin Action, along with several private schools and other stakeholders, immediately filed suit through the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. The petition asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court for an injunction that would allow schools to open while the Court deliberated. The injunction was granted allowing private schools in Dane County to open for in-person instruction, but the Court’s final decision was…
Read MoreThis Special Needs Scholarship Program roundtable discussion goes in-depth with topics related to participating in the SNSP in Wisconsin. We cover determining the number of seats, IEPs, reporting and compliance, blended learning programs, professional development, benefits of joining the SNSP, and much more. Participants in the Special Needs Scholarship Program roundtable are: Sharon Wallace and Matt Vahl, Immanual Lutheran School in Brookfield Ellen Heiden and Dennel Meinzer, LUMIN Schools Mike Derrick, Mary Queen of Saints Catholic Academy Lori Saqer, Messmer Catholic Schools Erin Janetzke, Martin Luther High School A complete summary of the topics covered is below and you can…
Read MoreThis seminar for Choice Schools, part of the SCWA Quality Series, offers an introduction to student-centered coaching styles. It is led by Stefanie Herbert, Assistant Principal of Academics at Trinity Freistadt school in Mequon. The seminar covers: Defining student-centered coaching for teachers Setting the coaching focus with teachers Building a schedule that makes an impact with students and teachers Monitoring and developing relationships with all teachers and gaining their buy-in Student-centered coaching sets specific targets for students that are rooted in the standards and curriculum and works collaboratively to ensure that the targets are met. It provides a natural connection…
Read MoreDue to the evolving nature of EANS funding, School Choice Wisconsin Action (SCWA) hosted a roundtable discussion on May 12, 2021 for school staff members to ask questions and share information. Our panel included Lori Saqer of Messmer High School, Brian Frank of St Augustine Preparatory Academy, and Donna Bembenek of Catholic Memorial High School. The FAQ from that roundtable is below. * SCWA Disclaimer: While seeking to be a helpful resource to schools, SCWA has pulled together answers from CESA6 and DPI for the following questions submitted to the May 12th SCWA roundtable on EANS. This tool in no…
Read MoreMPS is moving forward with a current-law application of transportation benefits with private schools and parents for the entire school year. They have made commitments to legislators that their intent is to fully allocate eligible resources by June 30, earlier if possible. In April, School Choice Wisconsin Action was instrumental in getting AB160 / SB221 before the Education Committee in Madison. The bill, introduced by representatives Jessie Rodriguez and Jeremy Thiesfeldt, relates to transportation to a private school during the 2020-21 school year for pupils who reside in a first class city school district. In her testimony before the Education…
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